Long-Covid: An Outcome of Mitochondrial Dysfunction (A Brief Narrative Review)

Abstract

A signicant proportion of patients who recovered from SARCoV-2 infection develop chronic symptoms lasting weeks or months, referred as Long COVID. Though the exact etiology of Long COVID is unknown; however, one of major symptom experienced by these patients is chronic fatigue syndrome which is associated with several mitochondrial disorders or viral diseases. In this review, a systematic approach has been performed to explain Long COVID as possible outcome of mitochondrial dysfunction. The review highlights what is known in literature about the dysfunctional pathways which can develop in mitochondria and their relationship to viruses and associated mitochondrial disorders. It also identies potential areas which require urgent, further research in order to help clinical management and interventional studies for better long-term outcomes.